Selecting a Projector that most suits your needs involves offsetting the cost (your budget) against some basic facts governing performance. The areas to consider in making this choice include Brightness, Resolution, Contrast Ratio and Weight.

The brightness capability of the projector requires consideration of the light level in the room. Obviously a higher light output (specified in lumens) will require a more expensive unit. A basic unit is generally capable of up to 1200 lumens, and is good for a dark room. A professional setup would generally require greater than 1800 lumens since room lighting is likely to also be necessary (for note taking say), and because a larger display will require a brighter image in order for it to be seen clearly.

The resolution of the display describes the level of detail that will be represented in the image. It is specified in pixels horizontally and vertically in the same way as a computer display. 800 x 600 is standard, but a better result can be obtained with a higher value, particularly for presentations where detail is important. A higher Resolution will give thet perception that your Presentation has more depth and therefore greater impact. As a guide SVGA = 800 x 600, XGA = 1024 x 768, SXGA = 1280 x 1024. If guest presenters will be utilising your facility and connecting a laptop to the house projection system, you will need XGA resolution.

The contrast ratio is the difference between the darkest (black) and brightest (white) image. This aspect of performance is a difficult one for a projection device since the screen also plays a role. Note that the darkest image cannot be darker than the screen, making the use of say a wall (rather than a purpose built screen) for projection garenteed to produce an inferior result. Also this specification is poorly represented (non standardised) so making a comparison between manufacturers will not always work. 400:1 or higher is a good value to aim for.

The weight of the unit is really only important if you plan for it to be portable. For portable applications a carry bag or case is recommended.

Some other features for consideration could include 16:9 aspect ratio - a must if you plan to watch movies. Or wireless, for applications that don't allow wired access, or purely for aesthetics.